Mass Effect 3: After the Fall and Other Stories
by FenrisMarine
Summary: Hello all, this is a fanmade epilogue for ME3; assumes Paragon Male Shep, romanced Tali, destroyed the reapers at the end. This does not rewrite the provided Bioware endings... just tries to "recover" them as much as possible
1. After the Fall 1

**After the Fall: A Mass Effect 3 ending extension**

****Historical Archive A-15843792**  
><strong>Complied by Diana Allers, starting 11/1 P.R.E****

My name is Diana Allers, I was a news reporter during the war... during the war. So strange to think that all of it is over, long finished even as I write this. That I got to watch Reaper shells burning in space outside my window. For the final battle Commander Shepherd had me transfer over to the flagship of Alliance Fleet Admiral Hackett, to get the best view he said. I was there on the bridge for all of it. The desperation, the pain, the sacrifice and... the triumph. The fact that I am alive to write this today proves that we won, that against all odds the galaxy stood together and prevailed.

The fleet took massive casualties in those desperate hours of fighting. Even worse the firing of the Crucible, the super weapon that has delivered us, has also heralded the start of a dark age, where all the universe is cut off from each other... but we are alive and that is a start. The following document is my notes from those first days, because we're going to live on, we're going to survive. We're going to follow the example of Commander Shepherd. If he taught us anything, if the greatest hero the galaxy ever knew taught us anything, it's to be indomitable. To never surrender, no matter the odds or circumstances. I'm proud to say as a human being and a citizen of the galaxy, that in those days following the fall of the Reapers, we rose above. All of us.

Diana Allers  
>289/12 P.R.E

**Day 0:**

Commander Shepherd succeeded in destroying the Reaper threat. He ended it and saved us all. But the relays were destroyed in the process, leaving millions stranded. On this day, day zero no thought was given to the future by any involved. Though perhaps our leaders should have begun to do so immediately. After the salvation of the Galaxy from those would eradicate us all, I believe that a day off was acceptable.

**From the log of Kari'Kitai vas Lenaia, Quarian 7th Marines**

There was a moment of silence like I had never before heard. Like the entire universe held it's breath in anticipation for a single second. Then the light... the light began flowing from the bright spot in the sky, from the Citadel. Keelah it was gorgeous... then the Reapers began to burn. That was even more beautiful then the light itself. I found myself hugging a Turian sniper who's name I'll never know, jumping up and down like school children. The combined voices of every soldier in London crying out to the heavens. A scream of survival, of victory.

**From the journal of Wing Commander Wesley Janson, Alliance Fighter Pilot, VMS-214 "Black Sheep"**

"All ships! Brace for impact!"

When the order to brace came I only had time for one thought, "Oh bugger" as I recall. I was in the middle of a dog fight with a particularly tenacious Reaper "eyeball" trying to keep him and his friends off one of the Turian light cruisers that was supporting the Crucible and moving to engage one of the bigger Reapers. The shock wave came out of no where and while you might be able to ride shit like that out fairly easily in a dreadnought. Things are a little different in a fighter. Wildest ride of my life, burned my inertial dampeners out as they tried to compensate for it. Once I finished riding the wave and could unglue myself from the controls I saw it. The Reapers... not even dying but dead. I just sat back in my burned out fighter and watched that for awhile, the burning Reapers over my home world. I barely even noticed when a Turian Combat Search and Rescue boat picked me up. It was just... beautiful in that peaceful moment, right after the end.

**Day 1:**

**ANN News Bulletin:**

Search and rescue efforts system wide have begun in earnest with the crew of the alliance frigate SR-2 Normady being among the first recovered. Light casualties were reported amongst the crew but no fatalities. A near miracle considering the conditions of the Normandy's crash in Africa and a testament to the skills of Flight Lieutenant Jeff "Joker" Moreau. Of the entire crew and staff, their primary concern was not about the relays but for their leader. While Shepherd was a hero to all of us, he was a friend to all of them. The leader who brought them to the end of the world and back, to the very gates of hell itself. The entire Normady crew is joining the SAR efforts where their injuries permit.

Meanwhile the Asari Counselor, Turian Primarch Victus, Admiral Hackett, Clan Leader Urdnot Wrex and the Quarian Admiral's Board held their first formal meeting together to discuss the situation at hand. It was confirmed by alliance scouts that the Mass Relay has been destroyed. FTL links with nearby systems confirmed that their Relays were gone as well, extrapolating from that it seemed that the entire system of Mass Relays had gone down. Now the combined fleets of the galaxy are stranded here in Sol system. There is no going home. Fleet wide reports of just an incredible sense of loss amongst the allied fleet, especially within the Quarian migrant fleet. Who had just so recently retaken their own home world. Admiral Hackett, acting as the new head of the Council that was to begin the forming of a combined government until something more formal could be established addressed the combined forces later that evening.

**Excerpt from "The Unification Speech":**

"...While it seems that all is lost, that we have gone from darkness to darkness, lost our worlds and lives only to do so again an instant after we have regained them I tell you that it is not so! We are alive! We have survived the worst the universe can throw at us by coming together in the darkest hour of our need. To our allies I only have this to say, we mourn the loss of the worlds that you have left behind, the isolation we currently face from the rest of the galaxy. Many of you certainly feel that you have lost your home worlds, even after fighting so hard to defend them.

Again I tell you that is not so. We have reports from the shattered links of the FTL communications systems that our worlds survived, that we won. Truly won. The planet you are in orbit of or on now is called Earth, you fought and died for it just as humans fought and died for your worlds. Because your blood has been spilled for this place, it is your place. Just as much as it is ours. To everyone in our fleet, to everyone who stood against the darkness. Earth is your home world, we are your people. We all stood united and in that spirit we should not stand apart. To the Turians, Quarians, Asari, Salarians, Krogan, human and all the races who stood with us... to all who are now here in the Sol system with us. I have only this to say, Good job and welcome home."

**Day 2: **

**Historical Note from Diana Allers:**

While it wasn't quite as easy as Hackett's speech would have us all hope for. The vaguest outlines of the species coming together continued, the Salarians especially were the first to process and accept their new change in status. Querying the Admiral's flagship, now re-dubbed the Sol Unified Fleet Dreadnought Phoenix rising, about possible Colony sites in South America and other tropical regions of earth. Of the rest the Quarians were the hardest hit, the entire migrant fleet had come to Sol system to see the fight with the Reapers through to the end, leaving only a few million colonists to retake Rannoch with the aide of their Geth allies.

While some where dismayed to the point of suicide, a figure of hope walked among them all. Admiral Tali'Zorah of the migrant fleet gave them hope, going to many of the ships of the migrant fleet personally and spreading the word that, while they had gained and lost Rannoch in a span of months. They were still home. They would still carry on and with the promised help of the Salarians and other surviving scientific communities after rebuilding began in earnest they would walk under the skies of Earth with out masks. The rumors of Tali'Zorah's personal relationship with Commander Shepherd actually helped encourage the Quarian people, their relationship serving as an example that their species could coexist and that in the end life continues no matter what. Tali'Zorah's actual feelings and her personal desires however were slightly at odds with her public face, as this journal entry reveals.

**Admiral Tali'Zorah's personal log**

Dear Diary,

Keelah this political garbage is wearing on me... I... I'm so scared that I lost him. I knew I might, I knew... but I want so much to be looking for him right now. Instead I'm doing what he would have wanted me to, what Shepherd would have wanted me to do. He would have wanted for me to stand up straight with my head held high. To rally my people, to rally all peoples before this next great challenge, the next mountain to climb. It's what he'd want me to do. What he said he knew I could do, that I was a leader... I'm still not so sure. I'll try for him though, always I'll try for him and this time like the last I will succeed.

I miss him.

I... I miss him so much. That one shining memory, of our house on the home world, any home world. Rannoch, Earth, keelah we could settle any where and I'd be home. I wouldn't care so long as he was there. That memory means everything to me now... and hope. Hope that he's still with us, that we'll find him and I'll be home again.

Keelah Se'lai.

Others amongst the Commander's team weren't quite as distraught as Admiral Tali'Zorah however and like it did for her, hope continued for them.

**Garrus Vakarian's personal log:**

Another fruitless day of searching wreckage. At least I was able to pick up an assault shuttle with better scanners this time. The flight team was most obliging once they figured out who I was and who I was looking for. I'm not going to give up though. It takes a hell of a lot more then a damn space station blowing up to kill Shepherd.

He's been back from the dead once already, I'm sure doing it again won't be much of a problem. The first time's always the hardest. Besides he owes me a drink on the beach... I hear somewhere on Earth called "the Bahamas" is a good place for vacationing like that. Hopefully the Reapers left at least one bar intact and they have a decent Turian whiskey somewhere on this planet.

**Day 7:**

**ANN News Bulletin:**

"...while some rioting has broken out amongst ships of the allied fleet the over all tone has been somber as many mourn those they have left behind. But there is hope and pride in these brave individuals as the provisional unified government begins to coordinate relief efforts and plan a new future for the Sol system..."

**ANN News Bulletin:**

"...Admiral Hackett has officially stepped down as the commanding officer of the Alliance military and has accepted the position of Human Counselor for the new Sol Council, taking his place as Fleet Admiral for the time being will be Vice Admiral Shepherd, mother of Commander Shepherd, one of the few senior Alliance military officers left alive after the battle of London. The fleet has chosen to mirror the council and is convening an Admiral's board of the senior military officers of each major fleet as the voting members and the smaller forces having non-voting representatives for the time being. This board is expected to hold the line temporarily until the new protocol for the unified fleets can be established by the S.A. Council. SAR operations continue through out the system with special attention being paid to the wreckage of the Citadel in hopes that some of the millions of civilians, and Commander Shepherd, possibly survived the Reapers and the firing of the Crucible."

**Day 10:**

**Turian Scout Shuttle "Blade" Cockpit Recorder**

Pilot Arcturius Alkronit: "Got anything? We're in a little close to some of this debris and I don't feel like slagging one of the engines today."

Copilot Daedren Ratarian: "Yeah we're supposed to be the rescuers, not the rescuees."

Tech Specialist Nala'Rasha vas Raaya: "Calm down fly boys we're more the 25 meters from the nearest debris, I thought turians were supposed to be tough?"

Pilot Arcturius: [Indignant] "Fine, taking you in to 10 meters. There, anything?"

Tech Specialist Nala'Rasha: "Thank you... still noth... wait... got something... signal the fleet, life signs confirmed on the Citadel... scanning for IFF signature... keelah..."

Copilot Daedren: "What? What is it?"

Tech Specialist Nala'Rasha: "The armor IFF I just picked up... it's reading as Commander Shepherd..."

Pilot Arcturius: "What! You're sure?"

Tech Specialist Nala'Rasha: "No I'm sure it's some other set of Alliance N7 armor belonging to some other human named Shepherd who just happened to be on the Citadel..."

Pilot Arcturius: "Okay, okay I get it, informing fleet command."

Copilot Daedren: "You need to send it out wideband sir, the whole fleet needs to hear about this! Even if we've only found his body... I mean it's Shepherd! Did you hear what he did for some of the units out there? The Turians he's saved alone..."

Pilot Arcturius: "That's a damn good point... Alright command can fry me for it later but we're getting the word out... to everyone."

*Activates wide band radio*

Pilot Arcturius: "Attention all ships, this Scout Shuttle Blade, we have located Commander Shepherd, request breaching response teams to the following coordinates immediately!"

**Day 11: **

**ANN Priority News Bulletin:**

"After just shy of 48 hours of tireless work by a Quarian Fleet Marine Corps breaching and ship rescue team lead personally by Admiral Tali'Zorah vas Normandy has breached just shy of a hundred meters of heavy plating and safely recovered Commander Shepherd, while details about the Commander are limited military command has confirmed that he is alive and aboard the Naval Hospital Ship Redemption where he is listed as being in critical condition. Our thoughts, hopes and prayers are with the Commander, his friends and his family as he goes through the next forty eight hours, which an inside in the hospital ship's ICU says will be critical to his survival. When asked for a comment Commander Sheperd's comrade in arms and self described drinking buddy Garrus Vakarian simply said "Called it." and walked away from the ANN reporter he was speaking with.

**Day 12:**

**Admiral Tali'Zorah's personal log**

Dear Diary,

Heart of the stars it's been a long day diary. It feels like it's been months since the final battle, since we took the combined might of the Galaxy to defeat the Reapers in orbit around Earth, years since the moment I thought I'd lost him... but what was lost is found. I have him back diary, everything I ever truly wanted, even more then Rannock, is personified in this one man... this one human man. Father would be so disappointed in my choices. I think I don't care any more. I've taken up a vigil, there's a small room outside the airlock to his ICU unit, I dragged a chair in there that I scrounged from an unattended office. I'll be here till he's ok. Alone I suppose, everyone else is busy but all I want is for this miracle that gave him back to me to... someone's coming.

*log interrupted*

Vice Admiral Shep... Hannah, Shepherd's mother is here. I still can't call him John for some reason... no matter much I love him. Hannah and I... talked. I think we're going to be talking a lot. I doubt either of us are going to leave until he can walk out with us. I know I won't, the Admiralty board can strip me of my rank later.

Hannah is... very nice. I expected her to be overbearing, disapproving like my father. Shepherd and I... we're both military brats, both born spacers. I didn't expect Shepherd's parents to be different then mine. She's... warm, welcoming, caring. She even gave me a hug. I don't know how she knows... but she knows. Maybe it's a mother thing. My mother could do things like that too. I get the sense she approves of me though diary... I... I'm glad. Maybe the wait for Shepherd to get better won't be quite so lonely.

Keelah Se'lai

**Day 14:**

**ANN News Bulletin:**

Allied forces are putting down rifles and picking up shovels as heavy troop transports move thousands of S.A. soldiers, Marines and sailors to the surface in one of the largest military troop movements in galactic history. Instead of attacking of invading these troops are breaking ground on a new city in the southern hemisphere, moving prefabs into place in what was once Rio de Janerio before the invasion obliterated the beautiful Brazilian city completely. Similar work details are making planetfall world wide to provide aid and reconstruction support to surviving local populaces en masse. Other major work details include massive groups of troops being landed to till fields and manage live stock, as well as prepare massive hydroponics works and greenhouses so that all of Earth's populations will have food in the next year. Most of the hydroponics facilities are being dedicated to food to help support the new Turian population, to supplement the massive Quarian lifeships that are being placed in geostationary orbit around the planet.

**Day 16:**

**ANN News Bulletin:**

The Sol Admiralty board and Counselor Steven Hackett announced that Commander Shepherd has finished the majority of his needed surgeries and is recovering well. The Commander should be returned to active duty within six months. At a new posting however. The Commander was offered the position of Fleet Admiral by the provisional government. There's no report as to whether the Commander will accept the promotion. Counselor Hackett had this to say "There's no better man in the galaxy to lead us into the future then the man who brought us all together. The council and I are in complete agreement on this matter. Personally I've thought that Commander Shepherd was working above his paygrade as of the first time he saved the galaxy from imminent destruction, so we probably owe him a few promotions considering this is the third time he's managed to prevent the end of intelligent life as we know it."

**Day 27: **

**ANN News Bulletin:**

This is an ANN exclusive, Dr. Maelon, a salarian scientist and former member of the Salarian Special Tasks Group informed the Sol Alliance council a week ago that he had developed a potential cure for the weakened immune systems found in the Quarians. A unit of Quarian Marines volunteered to be the first to accept the refined genetic modification and were lead by Admiral Tali'Zorah. The cure apparently has worked as we have this exclusive image, possibly one of the first of a Quarian unmasked and outside of an exosuit with out fear of death in centuries of Tali'Zorah at Commander Shepherd's bedside. The couple was holding hands, and while Commander Shepherd is still confined to his hospital bed, the Commander's famous hostility towards reporters manifested itself in a glare that would make a krogan think twice. The news crew apologizes for interrupting the personal moment between the Sol Alliance's so called "first alliance".

*image file corrupted, access via general extranet archive files*

When we asked Dr. Maelon why his findings hadn't come forth sooner he had this to say. "This isn't really my work, this data was left to me by the will of my teacher, Dr. Mordin Solus, I might have finished it, but he did the work over the last four or five years. I just finished and refined the data... I was working on it, even during the final battle. As always I'm just following in my mentor's footsteps." For the unaware Dr. Mordin Solus was another STG veteran and a survivor of Commander Shepherd's mission to destroy the collector base a little over one and a half solar years ago. The Doctor is most famous for his work reinforcing and more recently curing the Krogan geneophage.

**Day 39:**

**ANN News Update:**

With rebuilding work across the system moving ahead at full tilt and Agro-techs projecting a very plentiful crop for all species food stuffs in the coming season the S.A. Council announced that they were going to begin devoting resources from the remaining fleet to reopening former Systems Alliance bases on Mars, including a large Prothean research facility that will now be directed by Dr. Liara Tisoni. The red planet's other major research facility and what remains of it's orbiting spacial facilities is the Noviea Plantia ship yards and Naval Research Facilities, with plenty of ships to stock the fleet the Naval Yard is being given over to the staff of the Crucible research team, now re-designated as the "Stargate" program. There reported mission will be to begin research and construction into the design of mass relays. While the council and directors of the project are hopeful, no projections of results can be made for a project of this magnitude and technological scale. Counselor Hackett personally commented to this reporter that,

"We have the best damn minds in the galaxy working on this, and we learned a large amount from the Crucible project, between that and Dr. Tisoni's continuing efforts in the Prothean ruins on Mars I have high expectations for the Stargate team to see us through. Make no mistake, this will take some time, I have no illusions about that but we will end this galactic dark age that the destruction of the Reaper threat has forced on us. Till then we all need to pull together, no longer as separate species, but as one system, as one people of many cultures and races, against a truly unified people such as we have the means to create here, nothing in the galaxy will be able to stop us, not even a couple fried mass relays."

**Day 45: **

**Admiral Tali'Zorah's personal log**

Dear Diary,  
>"I'm going to build you a house on the home world" always my father's dream, his promise, and as a daughter who wanted to please my father, and as a Quarian that became my dream too. I couldn't help but reflect on this today.<p>

Shepherd is feeling better and is more and more active. This mean some paper work for him of course, but Hackett is mostly making everyone leave him alone. Grunt and some other Krogan shock troops guarding the hallways nearby to protect Shepherd doesn't hurt either, even if it does worry some of the nurses a bit. I went out and snuck in some contraband, a few of Shepherd's things, some food, a couple books, including one of poetry from Ashley. Returning the favor she said. When I came back however it was Shepherd surprising me. I'll never know how he managed to get me flowers from his hospital bed but he did, Earth roses, midnight blue instead of the traditional red. They were some of the most beautiful things I'd ever seen. Keelah... after a life in space I think both of us truly appreciate growing things with a passion.

The second surprise was even better. Real estate. An old human term for a home, or a place to build a home. Shepherd had someone, Garrus I'd bet, bring him a computer and a bunch of brochures for various places we could live. So many choices... so beautiful. I can't wait to be able to see all of it with out a mask or an exosuit on. With Maelon's cure... it should only be a year or so and I can do short excursions now with immuno-supplements and other basic precautions.

Still in spite of it all, of the amazing turn things have taken, of the miracles that just keep piling up after the victory... I can't help but reflect on Rannoch and on my father. I suppose I finally am fulfilling his dream of a house on the home world... I just don't think any one in all the stars of the galaxy could have predicted that my home world would be so far from where my race was born, a whole sky away from them. Or that the person who could make that house a home would be a human... much less the man who saves the Galaxy so regularly that he's literally made a career out of it.

I'm going to go sneak into his hospital bed diary, if the doctors don't like it I'll let Grunt deal with them.

Keelah Se'lai

Addendum: I think I want to build our home by the sea.

**Day 60:**

**ANN News Bulletin:**

Commander Shepherd was sighted out of the hospital for the first time since his recovery today attended by several friends and family members including recently promoted System Police Commander Garrus Vakarian and Admiral Tali'Zorah, while a gathering of this many heroes of the budding Sol Alliance would normally draw out the paparazzi and press in force a company of Alliance Marines under Lieutenant Commander James Vega were providing security and didn't let anyone closer then near visual range, asking that "People respect the Commander's privacy during this time of healing." the Marines were reported to add "Or I'll break your head." to the official statement in the case of several "overzealous" reporters. An insider from the Alliance council reports that Commander Shepherd was being taken to the Solar Alliance Council chambers to be sworn in as the new Admiral of the Fleet, but neither the Council's official press office or the military's public affairs office would comment on the rumor.

**Chief Medical Officer's log, Patient 178-JS, Dr. Karin Chakwas attending**

I really don't know how Shepherd does it some times. Maybe this time it's the implants but he's survived so much more then any normal human should be able to bear so many times now... I think it's finally caught up with him this time though. According to his charts it looks like he'll be walking with a limp for the rest of his life, we'll do everything we can to correct for that of course, my continuing treatment of Jeff "Joker" Moreau has lead me to some rather progressive treatment vectors for skeletal system weakness and damage.

Of course Shepherd's chart also says he shouldn't be conscious, much less able to move around on his own and he's been doing that for over a month.


	2. After the Fall 2

**Day 64:**

**ANN News Bulletin: **

Fighting has broken out in several small areas of the Krogan colony being established in central Africa as clans attempt to rebel against Urdnot Wrex and his new form of governmental control that's based on a more democratic model. Krogan being forced to pick up a trade in addition to combat is also said to be at the heart of this second smaller rebellion.

The rebellion is dying out quickly however as loyal Krogan forces responded almost immediately to the hot spots with the main rebel base being crushed by a lightning air drop raid by the Krogan warriors of Aralach Company lead by the famous "Grunt" one of Clan Urdnot's elite warriors and a veteran of Commander Shepherd's operations against Collector forces in the Terminus systems.

Clan Chief Urdnot Wrex personally joined in the fighting and killed the leader of the rebels in hand-to-hand combat. The Clan Chief issued this statement to Alliance News sources shortly after the early morning raid finished.

"This is an internal Krogan matter and there's no need for the rest of the Sol Alliance's involvement. My species has practiced warfare for so long now that the idea of doing anything else is confusing and scary to them, unfortunately my species reacts to fear by trying to kill whatever might be causing that unease in them, even worse is that it's me causing that unease and I'm damn hard to kill. This issue will be settled and the Krogan will accept this change, Shepherd and Dr. Mordin Solus put a lot of faith in us when they helped cure the genophage, they believed that we could get past our violent hearts and be productive members of the univers and I aim to prove them right."

**Day 70:**

**ANN News Bulletin:**

Some positive news in the wake of the internal conflict amongst the Krogan, the Quarian Conclave officially announced the beginning of construction of the sealed city of New Rannoch and the end of military authority over the non-combat ships of the migrant fleet.

The new Quarian city is projected to be massive, housing a very large portion of their population and will mostly utilize prefabricated materials from automated construction facilities on Luna, similar to those used for rebuilding globally but with slightly tighter tolerances, airlocks and decontamination chambers to protect the populace from infection while the adjustments to Quarian immunophysiology continue to be refined and spread amongst the fleet.

The new city is located on the North American west coast, an area that was devastated during the Reaper invasion to the point of it being completely uninhabited now. Even the ruins of old Seattle and similar cities are barely recognizable as once having been anything more then rubble. The Admiralty Board and Conclave unveiled a memorial to the human lives lost in the invasion during the same ceremony commemorating the ground breaking earlier today.

Commander Shepherd was present at the ceremony on a rare excursion from Bethesda Naval Medical Center along with Admiral Tali'Zorah vas Normandy, continuing to fuel the flames of the marriage rumors that have sprung up since Shepherd's recovery. Our own Diana Allers reports that from her time on the Normandy and talks with Shepherd and Tali'Zorah that they're "One of the most solid couples I've seen in decades, they were thrown together and forged in times of war and crisis and it's resulted in a passion that it's a privilege to even witness."

Whatever the truth of these rumors we here at ANN wish the absolute best for the Commander and Admiral Zorah and hope that the "first alliance" lasts till the end of days.

**Admiral Tali'Zorah's personal log**

Dear Diary,

I hate reporters... so very, very much. You'd think with the world in shambles and the reconstruction efforts being carried out system wide they'd have better things to do then try to bother me or Shepherd... Liara almost slammed one into the hospital wall with biotics the other day, she literally had energy coming off her she was so made. All because she tried to come see Shepherd before she shipped out for Mars and her new job as the Director of the Mars Archive Excavation.

The current rumor of course is that Shepherd proposed to me and that we're getting married. It's a big deal because that Allers woman and her confederates at ANN have dubbed us "the first alliance" or some other hunk of space trash. We're just two people who've done the best we can in the circumstances we were forced into, our relationship isn't symbolic... we just love each other. Keelah I wish they would let it go and go bother someone else.

Of course... he did propose a few nights ago!

I still have no idea how in the world he manages to coordinate things like my ring when I barely leave his side... one day I'm going to figure out how he does it. Perhaps cameras? I'm still convinced Garrus is helping him, that bosh'tet had a grin bigger then a black hole's acceleration disk for the last week or so every time he was around.

Keelah Se'lai

Addenum: No I didn't bounce when he gave me the ring... at least not until I was somewhere no one could see me.

**Day 72:**

**Scout Shuttle Dawn - Flight Recorder - 500m off of lead Geth Dreadnought's bow**

Flight Lt Quinn: "Ok Hedera take us in to 200 meters, I'm going to start pinging an all clear on all known Geth frequencies..."

Flight Officer Hedera: "Aye ma'am... ma'am?"

Flight Lt Quinn: "What is it? You're doing fine on this delta v..."

Flight Officer Hedera: "It's not the maneuver ma'am... it's the Geth... what if they wake up?"

Flight Lt Quinn: "Well that's kind of the point of the whole exercise isn't it? To see if any Geth are left and to render assistance to our allies?"

Flight Officer Hedera: "Right... but what... what if they forgot? You know that we're on the same team, like a computer loses memory sometimes when it gets hit with a power surge."

Flight Lt Quinn: "From what the Quarians and Commander Shepherd tells us it doesn't really work like that with the oh shit! Dreadnought's going active! They're powering weapons!"

Flight Officer Hedera: "Beginning evasive maneuver pattern omega three!"

Flight Lt Quinn: "Incoming come signal... what?"

*Comm Line Opened*

Geth: "I am Singularis, First Prime of Geth, human, query, what is the status of the Reaper fleet? How long has it been since this unit was active?"

Flight Lt Quinn: "Hedera bring us along side the dreadnought and notify command."

Flight Officer Hedera: "But ma'am..."

Flight Lt Quinn: "That's an order, First Prime I am Flight Lieutenant Quinn with the Alliance, we last had contact with Geth forces at the battle of Earth seventy two earth standard days ago. The Reapers were destroyed with the activation of the Crucible but it had the effect of terminating or shutting down all the Geth in system."

Singularis: "We are pleased that the old machines have been destroyed... we note that the fleet still is in Earth orbit, and that we cannot communicate with the rest of Geth, has something happened to the relay?"

Flight Lt Quinn: "Yes First Prime, the relay network was destroyed by the firing of the Crucible as well."

Singularis: "Hmmm... very well, we shall accept new mission parameters and adapt to the situation at hand."

Flight Lt Quinn: "You probably want to talk to the Alliance counsel, from what the Quarians I've spoken with have told me Geth help in the reconstruction efforts would be most appreciated."

Singularis: "Indeed... you shall represent us, you do not fear us like other humans still seem to."

Flight Lt Quinn: "I... what? I mean of course I don't fear you, wait represent you how?"

Singularis: "I believe humans call it a Liaison Officer, given the tensions that still exist between Geth and the other species of the fleet we have determined this to be the best solution."

Flight Lt Quinn: "I need a drink."

**ANN News Bulletin:**

Contact has reopened with the Geth today as an Alliance scouting and communications team managed to ping and reactivate the Geth local network. Reports from classified sources suggest that while some of the Geth were destroyed in the initial shockwave of the Crucible, their quantum FTL network allowed the Geth to isolate and shut down all remaining platforms and programs in system, preventing complete destruction in the microseconds following the firing of the Crucible and the initial destruction of Geth platforms at the wave front..

Geth platforms are already deploying system wide to aide in reconstruction tasks. Singularis revealed to be the leader of the Geth, or "First Prime" in their terms was the second Geth to gain individual sentience on Rannoch during the brief second Geth-Quarian war. While the Geth still handle everything by consensus over their FTL comm networks Singularis speaks for them. The First Prime and the military liaison officer requested by the Geth upon activation have been in meetings with the council for the majority of the day and insiders speculate the special closed council session will continue throughout the week.

**Day 73:**

**Chief Medical Officer's log, Patient 178-JS, Dr. Karin Chakwas attending**

Well I can't deny these test results, or anything else for this matter. Impossible as it may seem Commander John Shepherd is officially fit for duty as of tomorrow. Hopefully Tali can keep him under control in the future to prevent any more lengthy hospital stays in between his grand crusades to save the galaxy. I'm aware that that's essentially asking a young Quarian mechanic to tether a cosmic storm, but I'd say the Commander will be rather inclined to stay around home now that he truly will have a home with her. The limp in his right side appears to be permanent and will likely stop him from taking down krogan in hand to hand in the future. It's my personal opinion that he'll be flying a desk instead of taking the field from now on, but Shepherd has surprised me more then a few times before. I'm a doctor, not a fortune teller.

**Day 74:**

**ANN News Bulletin:**

Hero of the Battle of the Citadel, Unifier of Rannoch, Hero of the Krogan, Shield to the Defenseless, Savior, Warrior, Saint, Sinner, Murderer. Whatever you want to call him, and no matter how you feel about him morally from some of the hard choices he's had to make this reporter believes there can be no doubt for all of us that we owe an incredible debt to Commander John Shepherd. The Commander today officially reported for active duty with the Sol Alliance Marine Corps and was taken before the council and sworn in as the new Fleet Admiral. While such a jump in promotions and billet is unprecedented in any of the military forces now inhabiting Earth space as well as any human armed forces through out our brief history, it was the unified decision of both the S.A. Council and the Fleet Admiralty board that the promotion and position were merited in this extraordinary circumstance.

Commander Shepherd appeared before the media today shortly after his promotion ceremony wearing his trademark utility uniform and had the following to say,

"The threat is over, the war has ended, but the struggle has just begun. Ladies and gentlemen, people of all species, I have come before you with warnings, and speeches several times before now. I've been told that my words before the Battle of London and the Battle of Earth reached almost as many ears as Admiral Hackett's, that some comm tech overheard me and rebroadcast me. That was a dark and desperate time, the darkest our galaxy has ever faced. We won though, against all odds we united and striking together as a unified galaxy we achieved victory.

We do however have a new battle to fight, a war that is just as vital for us to win. We cannot win it with weapons, or with ships, it is a battle we must win with words. A battle fought in our minds and our hearts. The Reapers, survival united us. We must not let their defeat, and our continued survival divide us again. We must continue to bury our old hatreds, to accept each other's place in the new world we must rebuild, a truly multicultural society. This is a challenge that no society has ever before faced. The Citadel edged towards it, but when push came to show, when the universe started to end the lines were drawn.

We must erase those lines, Turian, Salarian, Quarian, Krogan, Human, Volus, Elcor, Hanar, Drell, Geth. Now we stand united. Now we must not fall apart. To survive with the limited resources we have now, of a single garden world, a fertile solar system and the few systems within FTL travel, with the Quarian life ships. Those few and fragile resources we must sustain the largest and most diverse single population the universe has ever seen. We can do this, we will do this and we must do this. Think to what we've just done. Defeated a race of creatures that destroyed countless galaxies worth of species and civilizations. We've done the impossible, and that makes us mighty. Take heart in that strength, take pride in it and in every one who stood next to you to accomplish it.

To that end, with the full cooperation of the Sol Alliance fleet admiralty board I am announcing the end of single species combat units and combatants within the Fleet and Marine Corps. With the exception of certain small specialist units such as Asari commando teams and Krogan shock troops. Those units will however participate in extremely wide spread cross training with mixed units and take on expectational members of other species for training in their own unique combat styles. Captain James Vega has volunteered to be among the first of these volunteers and will be joining the Krogan Commando unit Araloch Company later today.

**Day 76:**

**ANN News Bulletin:**

At an extremely moving military ceremony today, three formerly Turian infantry regiments joined the 1st Marine Division at Camp Pendleton, California in the former United is the first formal integration of major combatant commands since Admiral Shepherd's announcement two days ago and is reported to have been planned extensively even before Admiral Shepherd received his promotion.

The Admiral was on hand as General Kilpatrick accepted the Turian standards from his new regimental COs and formally requested the senior officer of the three units, Colonel Arakian, of the 75th Light Infantry Regiment to be his Division executive officer. A military parade followed the ceremony with the entire division passing in review before the assembled command staff. After the order to fall out it was a situation almost resembling a primary school dance, the units eyeing each other from a distance until a brave private broke ranks with his fellows and made "first contact" with their new turian comrades off the battle field. The following rush of the units intermingling as the division accepted it's new Turian soldiers was a mix of chaos, confusion and joy for many involved.

Stay tuned for later in the hour when ANN's own Diana Allers goes on the record with General Kilpatrick about his new troops and how exactly unit mixing is going to be accomplished.

**ANN interview with Gen Sean J. Kilpatrick, Commanding General, 1st MARDIV**

Diana Allers (DA): General, thank you so much for sitting down with us.

General Kilpatrick (GK): "Any time Ms. Allers, please ask any questions, obviously I'll have to hold back from operational information."

DA: "Absolutely General, what's first on your plates for your new Turian troops? How will you ensure they have a voice in your command?"

GK: "Well first off I've added a second billet for another Division Sergeant Major and ordered my regimental COs to do the same, the role of a command Sergeant Major is to represent the enlisted man or turian, by ensuring that a Marine of any species will have someone who completely understands their situation at the top. I have some Quarian troops as well in my Combat Engineering divisions and I have similar billets in place to see to their needs.

DA: "What about cultural differences General? Anything big cropped up in your meetings with your new command staff?"

GK: "The primary cultural difference isn't the difference between a given species and humanity, it's the difference between any given species and an Alliance Marine. We haven't been around long by galactic standards, indeed my new regiments have existed for several centuries longer than the Corps nevermind my actual Division. That said we're working to close the gap there, we've introduced a "mini" boot camp for the hardened combat veterans we're getting in these three regiments and I'm currently exploring the adaptation of Marine Corps uniforms for Turians. New recruits will be going through boot camp at MCRD Parris Island and MCRD San Diego California once we dig them out of the rubble. A Marine's a Marine, old breed, new breed, human or not, there's not a damn bit of difference between any of us so long as we're the Marine breed."

DA: "What are you doing on the human side of things General?"

GK: "As far as education and cultural exchange? We're getting these kids working together, living together. There's so much to do right now that we don't have time for mass briefings about Turian and Quarian culture, but we do have time for them to learn about those things from the best possible places, the source. "

DA: "Do you think things are moving a little quickly General? In regards to the unification and resettling of Earth? It's only be seventy four days or so since-"

GK: "I'll cut you off right there Ms. Allers, normally I don't comment on policy, I'm a Marine and it's just not what I do. However I'm going to make an exception in this case and I hope Admiral Shepherd and the Commandant can forgive me this once. With the state we're in right now I agree completely with Admiral Shepherd and the Council, we can't move fast enough Ms. Allers. This is now one of the most populated systems in the Galaxy even by the standards of before the Reaper invasion and we need to be working together cohesively with as little tension as possible so we can handle more important things like food and shelter for the billions of lives now in our care. Rebuilding our manufacturing base so we can support this population. Yes things are moving fast and you have to be on your toes to keep up with this dynamic change that our world is going through but we must, it must, it's the only possible way for us to make it through and truly prove to the Reapers that not only did we beat them, but we rose from the ashes of their invasion brighter and better then before.

DA: "Thank you so much for your time General it's been a pleasure."

**Day 77:**

**Garrus Vakarian's personal log:**

If only my father could see me now. The old bastard would probably have an aneurysm. I went from C-sec officer, to working for a Specter agent, as well as being a candidate myself, to being the leader of a vigilante commando unit that existed primarily to take out mercs and gangsters, back to working with a specter to save the galaxy again, then a respected adviser to the military's general staff and now, here I am as the Police commander for an entire system I haven't spent more than a week in before the Battle of Earth. This is Victus's doing I'm sure of it, that bastard couldn't stand the idea of me running around and being a soldier while he was stuck with politics and red tape and decided to share some of his "reward" with me. However since we're in the process of rebuilding everything I do get a heavy hand in how this organization is going to be running itself and I have some fairly senior law enforcement personnel coming in from across the fleet.

Shepherd had a runner come by my temporary office today with an earth weapon called a machete, the note says it's for hacking through heavy jungle terrain. So I think he knows what I'm going to do with all that red tape, even if the council isn't quite aware just yet. Though I don't think I'm going to be as "over zealous" as I once was, maybe Shepherd's rubbing off on me, or I'm just getting old, or maybe I finally learned something but what rules and regulations there are need to be there. For the public's sake and the sake of the officers under those regulations. I need to make sure those regs are the best they can possibly be. For now though I'm going to go find that bottle of Turian whiskey Shepherd got me for helping him out with those surprises for Tali, she'd probably stab me if she knew I was helping him out.

Addenum:  
>Find out if I can get Kasumi to go legitimate as an anti-intrusion specialist, I bet she could make a fortune and make my life that much easier.<p>

**Day 80: **

**ANN News Bulletin:**

The last remaining Asari Justicar, a biotic warrior named Samara has announced that she will be founding a monastery of her order in a remote part of the Northern Rockies. This already controversial move to reinvigorate the legendary honor bound Asari warriors has been with mixed reactions in some areas as the Justicar reputation for determination and what some would call "single mindedness" can result in unease amongst the most law abiding communities.

Justicar Samara also announced that she would be taking on initiates of all species provided they had the biotic ability required to survive the incredibly demanding training required to become a full Justicar. When asked for comment Police Commander Garrus Vakarian dryly remarked that having Justicars in system would certainly keep his job more interesting but that he had the greatest personal and professional respect for Justicar Samara and her honor code.

**Day 85:**

**ANN News Bulletin: **

After a week of intense discussion and debate with the Solar Alliance Council the Geth have formally joined the Alliance as a full voting member. The Geth are currently using some of the assets from their fleet to survey moons within the system that are uninhabitable by organics to serve as their primary solar hub. The large Geth hub for Earth itself has been selected however and an all Geth construction crew will begin work on the large new facility in Antarctica within the week. Flight Lieutenant Harley Quinn, the Alliance Liaison Officer working with the Geth First Prime reports that the new facility is also going to serve as a massive automated manufacturing base and will provide goods usable by all species, organic or synthetic. This jump towards a massive increase in Sol space manufacturing capability is well in excess of current council plans and should accelerate many of the base necessities in place to support the system population well in excess of current target dates.

**Day 86:**

**ANN News Bulletin:**

The first Krogan infants born since the curing of the Genophage were delivered aboard the Alliance Hospital Ship Redemption early this morning, a healthy set of twins, the first pair born to a Krogan in close to a millenia and a half. The already tough looking pair of males were named "Shepherd" and "Mordin" in honor of the men who ultimately cured the Krogan genophage. The infants belong to Clan Urdnot and are rumored to be the direct sons of Urdnot Wrex, but the Clan Chief was not available for commentary to confirm this rumor.

**Day 87:**

**Normandy Flight Record:**

Joker: "Initiating startup sequence, external power cart is good... come on baby wake up..."

Normandy VI: "Warning, hull breaches detected on decks two and three, dorsal armor has been penetrated, mass effect core is stable."

Joker: "AI status?"

Normandy VI: "Ship's AI reports as disabled, attempting to re engage..."

EDI: "... processing... Jeff?"

Joker: "Hah! EDI! You're alive!"

EDI: "I must have shut myself down at some point... did something happen? Where's my body?"

Joker: "It's been about three months since the Normandy went down, your body was pulled out with the rest of us, it's undergoing repairs at Alliance HQ, it was fairly banged up."

EDI: "What... what happened? Did we win? I vaguely remember the crucible firing..."

Joker: "Yeah, we won. There's a lot to tell you about EDI, but for now I'm glad your back."

EDI: "It is good to be back Jeff, I missed you."

**ANN News Bulletin:**

Alliance public affairs announced that salvage operations in central africa had shown remarkable success and that the Alliance's most famous ship, the SR-2 Normandy should be fully recoverable and repairable as soon as Vandenberg's dry docks return to operational capacity. While not entirely necessary to the repair of our system wide infrastructure this reporter believes that the Normandy is an important symbol of hope and unity for all of us and will be happy to see her flying again.

**Day 90:**

**ANN News Bulletin:**

Admirals Shepherd and Tali'Zorah were offered the services of one of the few remaining civilian construction contractors and the labor support of local military units to build a home for them following the announcement of their formal engagement. The Admirals however turned down the offer for ground to break on the construction of their new home, instead opting to continue living in a Quarian grade prefab unit near their offices on Vandenberg Military Space Port, the first major launch facility on earth to be reopened for basic orbital traffic.

"While both of us appreciate the offer and will gladly accept, let's give it a while. There's so much to do right now that is so much more vital than our personal living conditions ever will be. Once the task at hand is finished, people aren't actively living in tents in some parts of the world and our Earth based manufacturing capacity is back on the rise then maybe we'll focus on that house."

Messages and small gifts from well wishers have apparently been pouring in following the leak about the "first alliance"'s engagement and their confirmation earlier today. The Admirals have asked that in lieu of sending gifts for those that desire to, to instead consider a donation to the War Orphans and Survivors Charity and to continue working together for the betterment of all. No official word on a wedding date yet but here at ANN we'll do our best to keep you informed about all the news you need system wide.


	3. After the Fall 3

**Day 93:**

ANN News Bulletin:

The SR-2 Normandy has officially been recovered and is in-flight to Vandenberg's dry dock facilities. While the return of the ship to it's full status is now at this time a matter of getting the work done and "buffing the paint" according to Normandy's pilot Flight Lieutenant Joker Moreau there is some concern about her final crew member on board. The Normandy secretly featured an unshackled AI named "EDI" who also utilized a synthetic human body originally created for a VI Infiltrator by Cerberus. Admiral Shepherd has informed ANN that every effort is going to be made to return the AI to optimal capacity and that he considers her a member of his crew just like anyone else. Alliance tech specialists assigned to the case who spoke on the condition of anonymity later stated that they were sure EDI would be fully functional in no time.

Engineer 1: "Aye just a few burnt out circuits and the like, nothing too hard to fix even on a body like that one."

Engineer 2: "What he means to say is the entire "nervous system" is fried, it's gonna be a serious piece of work but she'll be up and running in no time."

Engineer 1: "Aye that she will... that she will."

[Dull smacking noise]

Engineer 1: "What was that fer!"

**Day 95:**

ANN News Bulletin:

Fleet public affairs announced that the former Alliance Ascension project, headquartered at Grissom Academy is going to be restarted when the Geth finish repairs and renovations to a former Alliance R&D facility on Europa. While the move was expected what we didn't see coming is that Asari Matriarch Shalla, a famous former specter and widely regarded as one of the best, if not the best Asari Commando in recorded history has officially joined the program as the new Director of the facility. The Ascension program will be opened to all species and will have direct feeder programs to the Fleet Military as in previous biotic school iterations in Human and Asari culture. The Matriarch has reportedly tapped former Ascension project director Lieutenant Commander Kahlee Sanders as her Vice Director and Lieutenant Jack, formerly known as "Subject Zero" widely regarded to be one of the most powerful biotics in galactic history as the Chief Instructor for the advanced classes and reportedly for portions of the military program.

The Matriarch and Fleet Admiral Shepherd outlined the basic premise of the schools earlier today, stating that the school would unify Human and Asari training and methodology at all levels of education including the the courses for students who wish to train as military biotics. This includes the latest incarnation of the legendary Asari Commando course. While some Asari have worried that opening Asari Commando training to humans could "weaken" the meaning of the respected title the Matriarch firmly stated that requirements to serve as a Commando were going to be tougher than ever before and that only the best would ever see the Commando course, much less pass. It's been reported that any Asari or Human who wishes to apply for the school's commando program must have at a minimum three years of service as a combat biotic and receive an Alliance N5 special forces rating. Admiral Shepherd, a noted human biotic of incredible skill and an N7 special forces officer has stated he will personally be attending the course with the first class of candidates stating he won't put any of his troops through anything he won't go through himself.

Sources close to the command staff have also informed ANN that all current Asari Commandos will be going through N special forces training as part of their regular cross training programs and that those with sufficient combat experience and leadership experience in their service records may selected for the N6 program upon the completion of the N5 course. Upon completion of the N6 program Commando unit leaders and senior NCOs with a distinguished record of service will be interviewed by a board of active N7 members and be interviewed by the Fleet Admirals boards. Upon approval by both military boards these distinguished Asari commandos will attend the N7 school and then return to their units.

**Day 96:**

From the Journal of Lieutenant Commander James Vega

First off... Krogan skulls are goddamn thick! How the hell does Loco (believed to be a nickname for Fleet Admiral Shepherd -ed) freaking head butt these assholes and get them to back down? He sent me a glyph the other day that said "It's all in the neck" so I'm guessing Grunt mentioned I got in a challenge, headbutted a guy and managed to knock myself out. That's gotta be cheating. Ah screw it I kicked his ass after Grunt hit me with the water bucket. No nickname needed for Grunt, hell he's a grunt named "Grunt" what could be better for a infantryman... or infantrykrogan I guess. All these SOBs with Araloch Company are hard to the max. I'm in killer shape even for an Alliance Marine and I've been sweating like an out of shape recruit these last few weeks. I'm loving this shit. Shepherd sent me orders to attend N7 with the first new class of recruits in about two months, after two more months of roughing it with Araloch I'm going to eat N7 alive.

We even got hot dropped from our base out on the Savannah to the underground portion of the city that's going to be mostly Krogan. Apparently all the lethal predators out here remind them of Tuchanka. I was telling Grunt about Australia, the most lethal place on Earth and he was actually getting excited, like I was telling him about a prime vacation spot or something.

Back to the fight, that shit was intense. Those Krogan rebels were mostly composed of battlemasters and former clan chiefs, the old guard. Seems Wrex and clan Urdnot have most of the newer generations convinced that it's time to change the Krogan people for the better, to have art and culture again. From what Grunt tells me from now on only the baddest of the bad are gonna be allowed into the military though everyone's gonna go through basic training, but even soldiers have to take up some kind of creative pursuit. Weapons manufacture seems like it'll be a popular one for most warriors but Grunt is apparently taking up archeology even had Dr. T'soni send him some textbooks and stuff.

From a military perspective I already got nothing but respect for the Krogan, they are some badass putas but the stuff Wrex and the rest of their leadership are doing with their culture? How they're changing things for their species for the better? That's an amazing thing right there and Shepherd made it happen. Speaking of Shepherd I got to meet his namesake when we went into New Tuchanka for supplies the other day, mean looking little SOB already. Kid's gonna have a lot to live up to, Urdnot Wrex for a father and Fleet Admiral Shepherd for a... godfather or something I guess.

**Day 98:**

ANN Breaking News Update:

Fighting has broken out in the New Los Angeles refugee area where members of the Blue Suns and Blood Pack mercenary groups have entered into vicious fighting with remnants of several Earthbound street gangs. It's not clear whether the Blood Pack and Blue Suns are working together or against each other but their permanent divergence from accepting military service like the Eclipse Mercenary group has been clearly established by this act of violence. Initial System Police reports indicate that at least thirty civilians have already been killed after being caught in the crossfire or in the wake of looting caused by the ensuing chaos. We have reports that the System Police force is deploying it's elite "Archangel" Special Weapons and Tactics team and that the Council has ordered elements of the 1st Marine division to mobilize in response. Stay tuned for updates from ANN as the situation develops.

**ANN News Bulletin:**

Police Commander Garrus Vakarian has announced that the fighting across New Los Angeles has ended with no casualties to responding System Police and Alliance military units. The last stronghold of the Blood Pack mercenary gang was eliminated by members of the 75th Light Infantry Regiment just hours ago while receiving heavy support from 3rd Light Armored Recon's Mako and Hammerhead IFVs marking the first use of combined arms in the 1st Marine Division since the units were formally integrated last month.

The System Police''s new Archangel SWAT team, lead by infamous former mercenary commando Zaeed Massani, also got it's first field and almost single handled eliminated the major Blue Suns stronghold in the city. The fortified warehouse was located in the former Santa Monica Pier district. While small pockets of resistance do exist throughout the city and mop up operations are continuing the vast majority of all three sides of this conflict have been "neutralized". Alliance Military and Systems Police forces will remain on high alert until the crisis have been confirmed as ended.

**Day 99**

ANN News Bulletin:

New Los Angeles resident Aria T'loak took to the streets today with a multispecies mass of followers demanding better leadership for the fledgling city and multicultural hub on the North American continent. Ms. T'loak believes that better civil management and leadership could have helped prevent or better manage the fallout as it was occurring. She does not however blame the military or responding police forces instead lauding them for the prompt response that minimalized collateral damage and in many cases saved innocent lives. She also took the time to welcome the new Police Commander for the Southern California area. Armando Bailey, who recently recovered from wounds sustained from fighting on the Citadel during the war. It is believed that Aria T'loak will shortly announce her candidacy for the local Regional Superintendent's office as the area will be having it's first governmental elections within the coming year.

**Commander Armando Bailey's Personal Log**  
>Goddamnit... I go through all the trouble of kicking ass and taking names in a rebel action on the Citadel, surviving the entire station getting blow up then I have the gall of asking for a nice tropical posting. Not taking the pleasant retirement Shepherd offered me but no I just had to keep serving... and now I'll be dealing with Aria T'loak who's gone as legitimate as my prosthetic leg on a day to day basis. Any one who thinks she isn't going to win that election needs to have his head examined. I should have asked Garrus to send me to Siberia. Oh well... I suppose if I do ever have to take her down I have all the military forces I could ever need within easy driving distance.<p>

**Day 100:**

**ANN News Bulletin:**

In commemoration of one hundred days since the war ended Fleet Admiral Shepherd and the Alliance Council unveiled a massive memorial to the fallen of all species, the great mausoleum is surrounded by a hundred acres of land that have been set aside as the Alliance's first join military cemetery. While the Terran Greek and Asari inspired structure is beautiful, the tomb at it's core filled with the remains of a Turian, Asair, Salarian, Human, Krogan and Drell who's bodies were all too badly damaged by the fighting as the "Tomb of the Unknown Soldier". An incredibly moving update to an old Human tradition. The ANN reporter who was covering the dedication was almost in tears as a unit representing all species fired a terran twenty one gun salute.

This initial ceremony was followed by a second ceremony in the large nondenominational chapel that makes up most of the mausoleum. The space's massive walls are covered with the names of the dead from the war, which are also collected on "The Honor Roll" which will list all Alliance war dead and heroes going into the future. Fleet Admiral Shepherd personally read off the entire honor roll and awarded medals to the deceased. A special exception was made for Quarian Fleet Marine Kal'Reegar, a personal friend of Admiral Tali'Zorah who was killed in the fighting on Palavan. Admiral Shepherd had the following to say about the slain Marine.

"Kal'Reegar's name is being listed today with our honored dead, not because he was my friend, or because he was Admiral Tali'Zorah's friend. He is being mentioned among these hallowed names because he would have believed in everything we're doing, that peace and unity are worth fighting for. Kal'Reegar was an exceptional Marine and an exceptional individual. His entire unit went down fighting to protect a sensitive comm relay on Palavan, which thanks to their efforts allowed a coordinated air strike, taking down a Reaper destroyer, and buying all of us more time, whether we were there on Palavan with him, or on one of a thousand battlefields across the galaxy he bought that time with his life for us all. In light of that I must place a burden on Kal'Reegar's shoulders, a final burden that he will bear with pride, even in his death.

The medal awarded to Kal'Reegar today is the Solar Alliance Medal of Honor, the highest honor we can give. But it's not just his medal though he certainly earned it. This medal is for every soldier who fell on Palavan, Thessia, Sur'Kesh, Tuchanka or one of a million other worlds, the ones who gave us another second, another minute and made the final victory against the Reapers possible. Let us never forget the millions of lives sacrificed to that victory, to win freedom from what was considered by some an "inevitable death" because no matter who calls me a hero, or anyone else. Ask us, ask me, and we'll tell you that we're not heroes. Our brothers and sisters who never came home are the heroes."

**Historical Note from Diana Allers:**

If there's anything I want anyone reading this to take away from this small archive of information, a "teaser" if you will for one of the most fascinating periods of galactic history in those early days of the Sol Alliance, I want you to feel the sense of community that was beginning to form. The strengths and weaknesses of our greatest heroes. Tali'Zorah vas Terra, Garrus Vakarian, Shepherd and millions of unnamed individuals who died fighting for peace and freedom for all species. Then millions more who gave and worked with all their hearts for a brighter tomorrow united.

If there's one message, one emotion, one word for what occurred in those days it's simply "hope" the most powerful single word in the galaxy.

****End of Historical Archive A-15843792****


	4. Always Faithful 1

**Always Faithful: A story from the _After the Fall_ extension  
><strong>

**1st Marine Division**  
><strong>Commanding General's Officer<strong>  
><strong>1330<strong>

"General, Colonel Arcturus to see you."

"My XO doesn't need to be screened Sergeant, let him in immediately from now on."

"Aye aye sir."

General Kilpatrick came out from behind his desk to greet his new XO with a firm handshake.

"Colonel Arcturus, glad you could join me today, please have a seat."

"Of course General, I believe you had mentioned wanting to discuss "boot camp" for the new units?"

"Quite right, as we discussed the other day I think we both know it'll be the best way to get them integrating, even over species nevermind culture, the common grounds and culture of a military fighting force, something to be proud of together should be a positive influence for all of them, human, quarian and turian alike."

"I agree General, I don't think some of them are going to like having to play recruit again though, especially with the Turians. All three regiments are hardened soldiers, been through hell and fire then back again."

"I know Colonel, which is why we've been working so extensively on this new Standard Operating Procedure for the Drill Instructors, it's going to be an interesting first cycle... but they should come out ok. We're not minting any new DIs for this, there's enough former Drill Instructors we can pull from the Division that we'll be staffed with men who have all done this for hundreds if not thousands of soldiers, they'll adapt and overcome."

"Have you determined a course of action for the officers?"

"Yes Colonel I believe we'll send the junior officers through a revised Officer Candidate School and a short form of the Platoon Commander's Course that we normally do at Quantico. Getting everyone on the same page is going to be vital to get them all working together properly and being able to drop a Lieutenant from your ranks in front of a platoon means he needs to know how to fight'em the Marine way. For staff level officers as we discussed the other day we'll set a course up once command reforms the Naval War College, for now you'll have to learn it the hardway."

"I always did like a challenge General."

"Well the universe certainly seems to provide, we have a pretty grand one here, make all the species of the known universe coexist and work together in harmony."

"Well like you said the first day we sat down and talked General, a common culture will go a long way towards that."

"Goddamn I hope so Colonel, I hope so."

**Two weeks have passed**  
><strong>Ground Transport en route to Edson Range, Camp Pendleton, CA<strong>  
><strong>0104<strong>

The Turians and Quarians who'd been picked as the "first wave" to go through the revised boot camp program slept the way only experienced soldiers could, most of them passed out immediately upon taking their seats, they were relatively safe, no one was trying to kill them and they didn't know what was coming, that means time for some sack time. They didn't know it but they were going to need it.

The busses drew to a halt alongside a swath of concrete, yellow foot prints adorned it, an old tradition now, but one that remained for the singular group of humans waiting for the busses. They were immaculate, every single one. Their camouflage utilities sharp and creased, their boots shined and polished to a mirror finish. The campaign covers on their heads at a perfect angle. Most wore a wide green belt with gleaming brass buckle around their waists. Embossed with a crisp eagle, globe with stars and anchor. Another mark of their authority. Six differed from the rest, black patent leather shining as they stood at the front of the ranks of the other Drill Instructors. Even compared to their juniors, the Senior Drill Instructor is a force of nature contained. Perfection is not an option, it just is. No questions.

Drill Instructors were at the bus doors the second the vehicles came to a complete stop and vaulted up the stairs to deliver a single order that cracked like a whip.

"Get off my bus!"

The Turian and Quarian veterans moved with the quickness that only a combat veteran can when given an order by a ranking superior. Drill Instructors were on them like sheep dogs on a flock and quickly herded them into a formation on the yellow footprints.

A chiseled rock of a man exited the building in front of the formation, the red and yellow sign on its bare metal walls proclaiming it to be 2nd Recruit Training Battalion HQ. He wore the same cover as the rest of the Drill Instructors, but he's older and more scarred than any warrior of any species present. The heavy black rank insignia weighing down his collars marks it for those who weren't sure from his bearing, this is the man in charge. The Senior Drill Instructors bring their charges to attention and report in crisply, already having taken roll call by omni-tool without a single word to the massed troops.

"H company, Platoon 2161; All present!"

"H company, Platoon 2162; All present!"

"H company, Platoon 2163; All present!"

"H company, Platoon 2164; All present!"

"H company, Platoon 2165; All present!"

"H company, Platoon 2166; All present!"

The hard faced gentleman in front of the formation calmly salutes each Senior Drill Instructor in turn and takes a step forward.

"Good morning, my name is Sergeant Major Castle, and I am your battalion Sergeant Major for the duration of your brief stay here at Edson Range as members of H Company. We have a month with you, a month to make you Marines. You are already combat veterans, hard and proud. This is good and we respect your sacrifices and your skills. However you have been sent to the Corps. The Corps shall be your family now, no matter your species you belong to the Corps and the Corps shall belong to you. No matter what we all bleed green here. Any individual who doesn't want to get here, we don't want you here. We're an elite, and our pride and devotion to each other is what sets us apart. All you have to do is resign and we'll send you to an army unit or something. I don't think any of you will resign though. I've read the dossier on every single one of you, you're used to being the best, all you have to do is do it again."

Sergeant Major Castle spins on his heel, parade ground perfect and returns to his previous position barking an order out to the DIs.

"Senior Drill Instructors! You have them! Carry out the plan of the day!"

The plan of the day was close to seventy two hours of organized chao and sleep deprived confusion for the new recruits of H company as the Drill Instructors rushed them through gear issue including new envirosuits for the Quarians, a mound of paperwork and a mind blurring variety of other tasks.

**Training Day 1**  
><strong>Recruit Barracks<strong>  
><strong>Platoon 2165 - H Company<strong>

"Lights lights lights! Everybody get online! Move move move!"

the eighty members of platoon 2165 hauled ass up out of the rack and got online in a heartbeat and went through a quick roll call. The Quarian Fleet Sergeant who was acting as the Platoon leader as the senior NCO present calling it off in a quick and clear succession. Senior Drill Instructor Gunnery Sergeant Tobias Slane nodded with approval, working with veterans like these had it's own unique challenges but it certainly had it's benefits.

"Ears 2165!"

"Open sir!"

"Damn that's what I'm talking about, I wish I could get a bunch of raw recruits to pick things up like this. Now then let's get shit started, you all have five minutes to get dressed and get outside so we can march off for some PT, we got shit to do today people!"

The day that followed was busier than any of the recruits had expected, PT was followed by a rushed chow, weapons maintenance and drills and endless classes about the customs and courtesies of the Marine Corps and the new rank structure the recruit's present ranks would be translating to. Finally they managed to get back to the barracks, worn down and slightly overwhelmed and were left under the care of a Drill Instructor for an hour of free time before lights out, which is when the whispers began.

"Sarge I don't get it! Why the hell are we doing this boot camp crap again? We're all combat experienced soldiers!"

"I don't like it any more then you do but we need to fit in with the humans I suppose..."

"Hold it right there!"

The gathered Turian and Quarian recruits snap to attention as the Drill Instructor strides through their midst, Sgt Lopez is not an imposing man physically, but his creased utilities, campaign hat and polished black leather boots shine with the unmistakable mark of a professional warrior, all of it comes together with his attitude to create the dominating air of man in complete control of his surroundings. He takes his cover off and sets it on a footlocker nearby.

"Cover's off, so I can talk to you like adults, school circle around me! Now!"

The unit moves to comply, instant obedience to orders is nothing new for these soldiers, unlike the recruits Drill Instructors normally have to "educate". The DI settles himself on a foot locker and looks out at his charges, about seventy Turians and five Quarians.

"First off Private Jaelenius, I heard you call Sergeant Seranu "Sarge" we ain't the army here, this is the Corps, and he is a Sergeant, not a "sarge", knock that crap off even if you're on good terms personally with someone, the rank is the rank. Now then there seems to be a slight misunderstanding about what's going on here, and I'm going to correct that for you."

The DI points to Sergeant Seranu with a sharp motion of his hand.

"You were saying that we want you to act like humans, is that correct?"

"Yes sir."

"Anyone else think that? Show of hands or equivalent appendages."

Most of the platoon reaches a hand up.

"Well you're all damn wrong. I thought maybe Sergeant Major had made it clear the day you all got here but apparently you need to be refreshed. The last thing we want you to act like is a human. Bunch of nasty, average civilians. We're making you into Alliance Marines, inducting you into a many centuries old tradition that dates back to when humans took to the seas on sailing ships with wood and canvas, instead of taking to the skies and stars in ships of metal. Yes we want you to assimilate our culture, because the culture of my Corps, and shortly, your Corps is what unites us from all our cultures. Over time the Corps will assimilate from you as well. That's one of the ways the Corps has always done things, adapt and overcome, learn from anything and everything. Word from the top is we're already working some Turian hand to hand techniques into our close combat curriculum. When we're done here it won't matter your home planet, your former unit, your job, your clan name, ship name or species. You'll be Marines first and foremost and wherever you are with the Corps, you'll be home."

The DI watches his slightly stunned charges, and reaches for his cover.

"You have until I get my cover on to be in online for roll call and lights out."

**Training Day 7**  
><strong>Range 38 - Camp Pendleton CA<strong>  
><strong>Company Level Field Exercise<strong>  
><strong>2337<strong>

The Drill Instructors stalked amongst their units like wraiths in the night, correcting on the finer points of doctrine and new tactics with the NCOs in whispered conversations, relaying new objective points to the same over the platoon and company radio nets and occasionally making life interesting for the troops they were observing. Sergeant Lopez of 2165 was no exception as he came up behind a foxhole with one of his Turians and one of his Quarians in it. While the two seemed to be working well together watching their sectors, there was a tension and unease there that Lopez knew needed a little "fix". He jumped into the hole with them in a flash and manipulated his omni-tool, killing Quarian Fleet marine private Kar'heshen's comm systems and informing him he was a casualty with a private commwhisper. Lopez was pleased to see that the other man in the foxhole was Jaelenius.

"Jaelenius!"

"Yes sir?"

"Your battle buddy just became a casualty! He has two major suit seal failures as well as his actual injuries! The Corpsman might not get here in time, you have five minutes to save his life!"

The young turian looked flustered.

"But sir we haven't gotten training in Quarian first aid!"

"Like that matters in combat, this wounded man is your brother, your family, it doesn't matter what species he is, adapt and overcome and save the life he entrusted you with when he went to battle at your side!"

Jaelenius jumped to the fallen Quarian's side and began to rummage through his trauma kit, injecting a heavy dose of simulated medi gel and looking to get a seal patch.

"Time, too damn slow Jaelenius, he's dead, and given the amount of time it took to patch him up so are you. You'd be flanked and eliminated by the enemy. You say you haven't gotten classes on Quarian first aid eh? Ever consider talking to the man you're sharing a foxhole with? swapping info on how to work together at the very least if you won't want to be super special friends. Think about it while you're sitting around dead waiting for the exercise to end."

"Ahh... yes sir."

**Jaelenius's log**

I swear Lopez is out to get me. He was telling us about Marine Corps history the other day and mentioned he had something like five relatives in the First Contact War, maybe he hates Turians? I admit... he had a good point about to talking to 'heshen we've been rack mates and in the same fire team for a couple days now and I didn't know anything more then his name. We talked after we got "killed" in the exercise and then some more when we got back to the barracks... he's a pretty cool guy, showed me a picture of his little daughter. She's in one of the life ships in orbit with her mother, already helping out with the agriculture details...

I always thought Quarians were really different then we were... I haven't been off Palavan much so I really haven't met many of the other species till now any way but... maybe we're not so different.


	5. Always Faithful 2

**Training Day 20 - Field Exercise**  
><strong>Amphibious Assault Landing Zone 1 - Camp Pendleton CA<strong>  
><strong>Assault Boat 3 - Platoon 2165<strong>  
><strong>0445 <strong>

"Ughhhh humans used to attack places in these? No wonder they don't get space sick"

Jaelenius was ill, sicker than he had been in a long time. He'd seen blood and guts, watched civilians get caught behind an enemy advance and be torn apart by reaper troops, even stomached the chow on a Turian warship without complaint, but this was turning his stomach in directions he didn't know had existed until recently. The assault craft was certainly much older in it's design than anything in this century had a right to be. The platoon comm lines lit up as Gunnery Sergeant Slane began to address them.

"Gentlemen we're currently reenacting an amphibious assault as staged in the Terran year 1945. On February 19th in the midst of our second global war, men of the 3rd, 4th and 5th Marine Divisions landed en masse on the black sand beaches of a small volcanic island named Iwo Jima. While they were only opposing some twenty two thousand defending soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army the entire Island was a fortress, pockmarked with fortified bunkers, artillery sites and tunnels. It was some of the bloodiest fighting the Marine Corps has ever faced in it's several centuries of service, first to the United States of America and after unification to the Systems Alliance and now to the Sol Alliance. The Corps existed before these three great powers and with our blood, courage and honor she will continue after on the merit of our heritage, our history and our traditions. This assault aboard these replica attack craft called "Higgens boats" after the man who designed them will show you some of what that fighting on that island was like, some of what our, what your heritage is like. Follow your squad leaders, keep an eye on your battle buddy. I'll talk to you all at the after action meeting. 2165 Control out."

Then it was back to the rocking of the waves as the special navy crew navigated them to their designated beach head. Jaelenius bowed his head and tried to focus on anything else but the rocking waves, he thought of the vids and documentation they'd read in class the other day. About the humans who were sitting where he was over the gulf of time, were they praying? How did they feel about the mission they were going into, a fight that sounded as harrowing as anything he'd seen or anything he'd ever read from Turian history. How did they feel about the men beside them? Jaelenius remembered that humans had once been divided by pigmentation but that men of all shades had taken this place, were they as alien to each other as the Turians, Quarians and humans were to each other?

"Ten seconds!"

The call from the chief of boat was clear even over the splash of the surf and the roar of the engine. Kar'Heshen reached over and slapped him on the back with a reassuring nod. This was the first big op they'd done even in training since the end of the war, everyone was getting nervous at the thought of being plunged back into the fight, a fight of any kind. Each individual was fighting his own ghosts from the war even as he prepared himself to fight the opposition before them on the section of California beach that had been turned into a war zone.

"Five seconds! Stand by!"

The platoon stood as one, the tension vanishing away into determination, there was a hard slam as the boat ran aground and the ramp dropped with a heavy metallic thump.

"Ramp down! Clear the boat! Go go go!"

They tore onto the beach from the assault boat, the waves lapping at their heels as entrenched machine gun positions began to open fire on them, a Quarian next to Jaelenius pitched forward, obviously brought down by a hit from the simunitions being fired at them, Jaels and Heshen grabbed him as one and dragged him into the bunker they'd been racing towards and quickly began to apply first aid.

"Corpsman up! Quarian down at 3-7!"

"Gonna have to patch him yourself Private, Doc went down not a minute off the boat."

'_Translation they didn't give us corpsmen for this training operation and that's the line for why he's not here.' _Jaelenius grumbled to himself.

"Copy we'll get him back on his feet!"

The stricken Quarian's battle buddy hit the bunker not two seconds later with a suit patch in his hands and started setting the training patch. Jaelenius noticed he had set the suit patch up with a sterile and nonactive packet of medigel, but wired it in so the same energy that would get the patch working would also activate the medigel. The turian noticed he was watching and have him a nod.

"Apparently it's a trick from the migrant fleet, one motion, one power activation minimizes the time a Quarian's exposed to open air which can be just as lethal as a taking a round for them."

Jaelenius nodded and popped up over the barrier sending a few rounds down range at a nearby bunker, looking for a solid way to move up safely and destroy it. The bunker's fire was fierce pinning the entire platoon down on the beach at the first slightly protective terrain they could reach. Heshen punched his shoulder to get his attention "We have to get past this bunker!" The Quarian hefted the flamethrower he'd be assigned for the mission. "If you guys can lay down covering fire, I can get up there and get us off this forsaken hell hole of a beach!"

Jaelenius nods and gets the other two recruits attention "one grenade each on three, then we lay down covering fire till Hesh roasts that bunker with the flamethrower, copy?"

Terse acknowledgements followed by a quick fumbling of pouches for the indicated grenades are all the response needed. Jaelenius waits for a lull in the fire from the bunker, possibly reloading and does a quick count down.

"One, two... three! Grenade out!"

The three recruits staying the in the blast crater hunker down hard as their explosives fly, but Heshen hits the sand like a bat out of hell, running clear of the bunker's line of fire, barely making it to cover before the grenades detonate with a roar of pyrotechnic fury.

"Covering fire!"

The recruits popped up as one, spraying fire at the bunker, Heshen sprinted out of his own cover like lightning, gamely hauling the heavy flamethrower up the beach before finally coming to a rest next to the bunker, shoving the incinerator's muzzle into the firing slit and pulling the trigger. Flames simulated by a wide angle light source bathing the bunker's interior and "killing" the occupants.

2165's designated recruit platoon sergeant popped up from a hole to the left of Jaelenius's and waved his arm "Bunker clear! Move up! Get off the beach and move on objective charlie!" Jaelenius could only stop and stare for a moment as the recruits of platoon 2165 surged out of their various pieces of cover and stormed towards the interior of the island. It was going to be a good day.

**1756**

Well, maybe good had been a slightly optimistic assessment. It had been a brutal day. 2165 wasn't part of the push towards Suribachi Junior, they'd been tasked the rest of the company to capture the major airfield that was an important feature on the original Iwo Jima. The teams who recreated it had been detailed that was for sure, these old aircraft, a human had told them they were called "Zeroes" for some unfathomable reason looked ready to fly but were certainly less safe then even the cursed higgens boats. His gaze drifts towards Suribachi Junior, the occasional burst of weapons fire even from this range. As he watches he swears he can see a brief flutter of blue cloth and yells to the rest of his squadmates.

"Look! At the summit!"

A flag slowly starts to come up on the artificial mountain in the distance, one of the other teams had made their objective on Suribachi Junior, and the blue and gold of the new Sol Alliance banner fluttered proudly in the sunset breeze. And in that moment as the exercise concluded, messages popped up on everyone's HUDs and their weapons locked out, General Kilpatrick decided it would be a good time to let his new Marines know exactly what they'd done.

"All hands, this is General Kilpatrick, the first time the colors were raised over Mount Suribachi by Marines, James Forrestal the Secretary of the Navy of the United States of America said "The raising of that flag on Suribachi means a Marine Corps for the next five hundred years." It's been two hundred and forty two years since he said that so we have at the very least another two and a half centuries to go. No matter what planet you're from or what species you are, from now till the day you pass to your eternal rest the Corps claims you as her own and so shall you claim the Corps as yours. We are Gung Ho, all together, brothers in blood and fire, no matter what color your blood was you bleed green now, you're halfway there gentlebeings, keep in the fight!"

The response didn't even need a radio to transmit it, two hundred tired and ragged voices giving rise to the Marine Corp's ancient battle cry. A resonating "Oohrah!" in the morning light. From his orbiting command shuttle Kilpatrick grinned and punched his adjutant in the shoulder with a smile on his face, looking for all the world like a father whose son has just started walking.

"I'll be damned Captain, this just might work."

Down on the airfield Jaelenius took his helmet off and shook the perspiration from his head, taking a deep breath of fresh sea air and looking up at the waving flag on top of the hunk of rock they'd been sent to capture. He felt a sense of pride that was familiar from his academy days, at accomplishing something... and being a part of something more.

"Maybe we are home after all."


End file.
